just how much they're going to see. we're going to start things off with storm team 4 meteorologist veronica johnson. >> hey, guys. yeah, our nastiness is going to come in stages for the early part of the day here. it's going to be the wintry type of precipitation for the latter part of the day. it's wind and cold. national weather service still leaving up those advisories for accumulating snowfall. notice they are well to our north and west. howard county and montgomery county, louden county, up to the north and west where there could be 1 to 2 inches of snowfall. the areas that border pennsylvania could see more than that. temperatures not helping this snowfall to hold on, the bit we've gotten today. 36 in leesburg. gaithersburg at 36. 32 in frederick. 39 in d.c. so what falls will likely be melting very quickly. of course, it's been all morning long that the dry air was over us. so everything working against us really getting any acculating snowfall. but we do have a batch that's

moving in, moving through. you can see the white there. as i zoom in on d.c., you can see that we've got it right now around fairfax, around warrenton. the snow will be moving eastward. we have the chance of snow now for the next three, maybe four hours until noontime, but we're not going to get much. after noon, it's rain that takes over and starts eating away at the storm system. this whole event is over with at 3:00, except for the wind and cold. i'll have more on that and what you can expect for the rest of your weekend in a couple minutes. >> thank, veronica. the snow has already started falling in the northern parts of the metro region. news 4's derek ward is live in frederick with more. good morning, derek. looks like you have quite the coating out there so far. >> reporter: well, indeed, we do. this has been here for a while. this actually fell on about wednesday. i don't know if the camera can pick it up now, but there is some precipitation falling now. it seems to be sleet. when we got here, there was a bit of sleet falling.

it's cold enough here where it's sort of staying on the ground. it's hitting the ground and bouncing, but you can't make it out because of all the old snow. i can tell you that the roads have been treated all along 270 between the district and frederick. there is no problem getting around. you will see snowplows out, not actually plowing, but spreading salt and chemicals on the road to keep them passable. as you heard from veronica, the atmosphere is pretty dry, so what may appear on radar, may not be hitting the ground. again, we are seeing some here but nothing new and significant at this point. of course, as we hear, that could all change later. it will mix in with some rain, so that should make for some interesting travel if you are planning to get out. so stay tuned for more, and we'll keep you posted as the snow falls. we are live in frederick. derek ward, news 4. >> derek, thanks. the incoming snow had many heading to the local hardware stores yesterday for supplies. shovels, rock salt, and deicing

fluid were selling fast as people prepared themselves. people were making sure they were stocked up even if few flakes hit ground. some customers said they were getting the rock salt not for they driveways but to weigh down their car so they don't slide on the snow and ice. people in northern virginia are also bracing for the winter weather. in some parts of the area, it could mark the third snowfall just this week. tony continues our team coverage from louden county with the last-minute preps. >> reporter: good morning. we're actually starting to see a little bit of a flurry come down here in leesburg. we're right along route 7. started about literally two or three minutes ago. it's start torg give a little bit of a dusting. take a live look right now. as i said, we're along route 7 in leesburg. the road has been treated. there are some measures out there to make sure that the roads are going to be passable through the morning hours and into the afternoon. my photographer and i, we took the toll road here this morning. we literally saw dozens of snowplows on the side of the

road just preparing just in case there is a significant accumulation. we're expecting about 1 to 2 inches here in leesburg, maybe just a dusting. i got to tell you, it is starting to fall. the temperatures are down. there are some moist spots here in the area. if you are headed o ed out this morning, just be careful. we'll check back in a little while. >> all right. tony, thanks so much. we're going to be monitoring the radar throughout the day. you can get the latest weather updates on the go by downloading our free storm team 4 weather app. no matter where you are, it works 24/7. as the countdown counties toward the fiscal cliff, a deal could soon be on the horizon. senate lawmakers say they are planning to work through the weekend to come to an agreement. president obama met with senate and house leaders yesterday. all sides say they're getting closer to a deerl. the two sides are trying to avoid a tax hike on all americans as well as deep spending cuts. but the president also said that

the american people are growing tired of what seems to be never ending gridlock and partisan bickeri bickering. >> the american people are not going to have any patience for a politically self-inflicted wound to our economy. not right now. the economy is growing, but sustaining that trend is going to require elected officials to do their jobs. >> right now, the plan is to come to an agreement then send it over to the senate for a vote. the house would then take a vote, which could take place as late as january 2nd. the president will sit down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with "meet the press" moderator david gregory tomorrow. the two will discuss the fiscal cliff as well as other key issues facing the country. you can see it right here on nbc 4. the show starts at 10:30. we are just one day away from the grudge match between the redskins and cowboys. more than just bragging rights are on the line. it's as simple as this. win and you're in.

even though we're in redskins country, there are sure to be some divided families tomorrow night. that includes the clark family in capital heights, maryland. half of the family are cowboy fans. half cheer for the 'skins. mom and dad are heading to the game at fedex field. dad is hoping to see some upset redskins fans tomorrow night. >> it's nothing like 90,000 just going -- oh, my god. it's beautiful. it is beautiful. >> we'll be divorced on sunday, just for sunday, though. >> that's just a taste of the trash talking in that family. just a little bit. as for the little guy in the middle, that's reginald clark iii. he might have a cowboys jersey on, but his mom says he roots for the redskins. in fact, kids at school have taken to calling him rc3. you can catch up on everything redskins later this morning. "inside the redskins" comes up after the news today at 10:30.

kickoff is tomorrow night at 8:20 on nbc's "sunday night football." if you can't make it to fedex field, you can watch the game here. >> i'm sorry. with a name like rc3, he has to cross over from the dark side. we got to get him over to the redskins side. >> you know, he's wavering. i think he could be swayed. >> he was still wearing a dallas jersey. >> he's got to keep up with his dad. all right. 9:07 now. next, rg3 and the redskins drop in on a family going through a difficult time. the good deed before the big game. the family of a child who survived the connecticut school shooting is heading to court. why they plan to take some legal action. and there's a winter weather advisory in effect right now we are monitoring road conditions. so far, no reported accidents or trouble spots, but we've got our eye on

ten minutes after 9:00. welcome back.

a live look at our camera outside of union station. things are a little dreary looking out there. we've got a slight wind picking up. you can see there with that flag. veronica will have the snow forecast track in a few minutes. >> this morning, police in virginia are investigating how a man died after his body was found in a car on the side of the road. an officer discovered the vehicle up a steep embankment in vienna last night. a man's body was inside that car. someone spotted the van crashing through a barrier earlier in the evening. homicide investigators were called in because of suspicious circumstances. an elderly woman is dead and two others injured after a prior broke out in prince george's county. flames ripped through the entire home. police have not released the name of the victim. two people were taken to the hospital. they're expected to survive. investigators are still trying to figure out what started that

fire. right now, just 11 minutes after the 9:00 hour. in sports, will the nhl season end before it starts? >> coming up next, the move happening today that might get the caps ones ice in the new year. plus, a historic event that changed the record books for gay marriage in this country overnight. it's been quiet most of the morning, but we've got a snowy looking sky now. so what will you see today? i'll tell you next. hey, look! a shooting star!

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you get exactly what you want for christmas. welcome to christmas town: a busch gardens celebration. discover the wonder at christmastown.com. and the time right now is 9:15. looks like it's smooth sailing at 495 at van dorn street. some areas are already seeing a mix of snow and sleet. if you're headed out, please use caution. veronica johnson has the forecast coming up next. it's being called a tragic number. chicago recently reached 500 homicides in a calendar year.

the latest was a deadly shooting outside a convenience store. the city's police superintendent says the sad milestone is reflective of gang violence and illegal guns. kids need to learn other ways to resolve their problems. >> teaching our young people alternative dispute resolution, nonviolent strategies for addressing conflict, and getting guns off the street. >> last year the windy city had 435 murders. the last time chicago reached the 500 mark was in 2008. a new york woman is facing multiple federal charges accused of helping a man kill two firefighters lured to a burning home. authorities say dawn nguyen bought the guns used in those murders. she was william spangler's neighbor, and police say she knew he was not allowed to own a gun because he was a felon. on christmas eve, spangler shot and killed two volunteer firefighters after setting a huge fire. he also injured three others before killing himself. more than two weeks after

the mass school shooting in connecticut, the first lawsuit has surfaced. it's on behalf of a student who was inside the school. the hartford current reports an attorney is asking permission to sue the state of connecticut for $100 million. he represents an unidentified 6-year-old student who was not wounded in the mass shooting but heard the gunshots and screaming. the attorney claims his young client is now traumatized because the state failed to protect the school from what he calls foreseeable harm. >> the state could have -- there's a whole lot of architectural designs they can use in schools to make it much, much harder to happen. she lost a lot of friends who were killed, and she really suffered through the horrors of listening to this. >> the attorney also says several of the girl's friends were killed in the shooting. it's the first reported lawsuit since 20-year-old gunman adam lanza opened fire in the school. he killed 20 first graders and six adults.

this morning, former president george h.w. bush's health is getting better. the 88-year-old is in good spirits, even singing to the hospital staff. he has been in the hospital now for more than a month. doctors say they're optimistic about his recovery. if you have ever wanted to go to the presidential inauguration ball hosted by the president, here's your opportunity. the presidential inaugural committee is marking a limited number of tickets available to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. the ball is january 21st at the walter e. washington convention center. you have to sign up on the committee's website. it's 2013pic.org. you can request up to two tickets at $60 each. >> and sign pages of documents. >> ten forms of i.d. no. >> but you'll certainly have a lot of date options. that's going to be a hot ticket. >> $60. you can't beat that. talking about the weather, we're hearing from our viewer tammy

who says her son cannot see out of the snow this morning in hagerstown. >> it's starting to coat the streets there for sure. any of those untreated roads is where the streets will be slick to the north. it's a small part of our area that will see the snow actually coat the grass and ground. this event now, a very small time period, a much smaller time period where the snow will get a chance to accumulate. let's look at what's going on across the area. we have an overcast sky right now. it's taken all morning long to see that snow start to fall around here. it had to overcome some dry air. the other thing that's not going to have it stick around for very long are the higher temperatures. we're 39 degrees currently. not much of a wind. later today, the wind is going to really start picking up. it's going to be pretty gusty by tomorrow morning. look at the temperatures throughout. 39 here. 39 degrees -- or 37 in manassas through prince william county.

36 in leesburg. even winchester right now is above freezing at 34 degrees. frederick county, around martinsburg, around hagerstown with the snow. it's starting to accumulate and coat area roads there. you can see finally the second part of the system coming on through. warrenton, leesburg all getting snowfall right now. same thing around fairfax. i-66, you have some snow falling out there right now. it's rain down to the south. d.c., waldorf, leonardtown, areas through southern maryland. you have rain. there may be, over the next couple hours, a chance to see some sleet mixing in. same thing around d.c. a mixture of rain and snow. let me take you through the next couple of hours. noontime today, rain, higher temperatures taking over. this whole event blows out of here, moves east by 3:00 and 4:00. we clear out and turn cold. look at the temperatures by tomorrow morning. 29, leesburg. 28, gaithersburg. 30, manassas.

strong winds. windchill temperatures tomorrow morning will be starting out in the teens and 20s. sunshine back tomorrow. it'll be a cold and windy day. then our next storm system will be bringing in increasing clouds to the area new year's eve. i know you're wondering what's going to happen by the stroke of midnight. right now, it's looking mainly dry throughout the area. there could be just maybe a few little spritzes of early rain showers that try to come in. then eventually colder air by new year's day may give us more snow with yet another storm system. everywhere in purple, snow to rain. areas to the north with a light coating, perhaps. there's a chance through louden county, montgomery county. so, 32 to 37 early on. we'll hit a high today around 39 to 41 degrees. again, as we clear out, it's going to turn cold. it's going to get gusty. 32 to 37 degrees. quick look at your four-day forecast here from 39 today to 39 degrees tomorrow. tomorrow at least is going to be

dry. coming up in a couple minutes, we'll look at your forecast if you're going to be headed to the game, and we'll look again at your new year's eve forecast. mid part of next week gets cold again. >> okay. thanks. the capitals could be hitting the ice again in 2013. the nhl and players union will talk today in hopes of saving the season. the league reportedly made changes to its offer to the players, and the two sides will meet again tomorrow. in fact, there's so much optimism about this latest proposal, there's talk that the regular season could start as early as january 19th. the league already canceled more than half the season but would change that schedule to allow at least a 48-game season. >> wouldn't that be nice? >> it would. a lot of people waiting for that. >> me too. rg3 picks up another award and the wizards go for two wins in a row tonight. >> let's hope they can do it. it's all in this morning's "sports minute."

>> good saturday morning, everyone. this is your "sports minute." the biggest game d.c. has seen in quite some time. tomorrow night the cowboys visit fedex field with the nfc east crown on the line. this week robert griffin iii has been racking up the awards. he was voted to his first pro bowl, and yesterday he picked up his seventh rookie of the week award this season. the cowboys waiting on deck, rg3 knows he and this team can't slow down now. >> you know, it's for all the marbles, whatever you want to say. but don't go out and play scared. you have to play like you have nothing to lose, which is what we've done the past six weeks. i think we'll continue to do that. >> cowboys/redskins game will be here on nbc 4. we got you covered before the game, during the game, and after the contest. starting with our pregame show, redskins showdown. then redskins final after the ball game. we're going bowling. russell athletic bowl. virginia tech taking on rutgers. fourth quarter, logan thomas

connects with cory fuller for a 21-yard touchdown. we're tied at ten and headed to overtime. in ot, a 22-yard field goal attempt is good. hokies avoid their first losing season since 1992. over to the hardwood. magic and wizards. mike rizzo in the house. jordan crawford led all scorers with 27 points. this pretty assist to webster. wizards win it 105-97, snaps their eight-game losing skid. and that was your "sports minute." have a great saturday. the redskins are preparing for their primetime matchup against the cowboys, but the team still had time to help a family in need. peter halbert died last week in a tragic car incident. the team found out the whole family loved the redskins. they invited peter's wife tony and the kids to a practice. the family took pictures with

some of the players, including rg3. they got some autographs to walk away with as well. just such a heartwarming story. you know that this has just brought so much light and life into their lives during a very difficult time. >> nice to see those kids smiling. 9:24 right now. today, virginia hosts one of the biggest gun shows in the nation. up next, why this year's event is attracting larger crowds than usual inside and outside. first, a winter weather advisory. a look at where the flakes are falling right now. plus, who's missing out on the snow and getting rain instead. [ male announcer ] this commercial is not about getting fios,

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and we want to take you outside for a live look at very cloudy skies around the capitol this morning. we have rain and snow all across the region as a winter weather system passes on through. good morning, everyone. welcome to news 4 today.

glad to have you join us. i'm angie goff. >> and i'm richard jordan. we have team coverage this morning. our reporters positioned across the area. >> we do. first, let's find out where the flakes are falling right now. for that, we go to storm team 4 meteorologist veronica johnson. >> finally, they're starting to come into our area. it's taken all morning long. a lot of that snow hanging west of leesburg right now. the winter weather advisory still up for our area. that goes until 6:00 p.m. i think they may, in fact, shorten this. the national weather service shows the counties shaded in purple. montgomery county, yes, you're in it. louden county. up to the north and west, there could be a light coating and around 2 inches of snowfall. higher amounts up around the maryland/pennsylvania border. 39 is the temperature. you know, whatever falls in the form of snow is going to have a tough time sticking around. it's even 36 in leesburg. 34 in winchester. 32 in frederick. we're okay there. here's the deal for today.

up until noontime, we have the best chance of seeing snow fall and accumulate. a little bit we're going to get. by 11:00 a.m., there will be a little left around the area. rain takes over after noon. it's going to be ending right after 3:00. 39 to maybe 40 degrees for a high temperature for today. that is the way it's looking. again, we've got one area that's coming through. another one that may -- another area of snowfall that may lift way to our north and west. so do not think we're going to get a lot of snowfall out of this system. sorry, again, snow lovers. saw a tweet from mike. he says it's fine with him if we don't get anything out of this, guys. >> thanks, veronica. all across the area, people are preparing for the winter weather. this week marked the first time the area has seen any significant snow. many are dealing with it now for the third time. news 4's tony toll is in louden county, virginia, this morning.

what do you have? >> reporter: hey, the good thing is here in leesburg, they probably won't have to deal with much this morning. you know, you just heard veronica say a lot of the snow was staying west of leesburg, which is our location. you also heard her talk about the temperatures. a lot of precipitation we're seeing falling is kind of a mix. it started out about 20 minutes ago with snowflakes. it's kind of turning into a sleety mix of rain. not too much going on here in leesburg. take a look at the roads. you can see they've been treated. no accumulation going on there. they are wet and moist. if you are headed out this morning, just be prepared there could be slick spots. v-dot yesterday, or i should say around midnight this morning, mobilized their trucks. they did see dozens of trucks along the toll road heading into leesburg this morning. again, they're just hanging out, waiting to see if there's any accumulation, which we've been hearing will not be much here in the northern virginia area. we're going to continue to stay on this. you can see -- i don't know if the camera is picking it up, just a few snowflakes starting

to fall. as veronica just mentioned, the temperature staying a little too high for this to be significant. that's the latest. back to you. >> i can tell it's not much because you don't have your head covered. >> reporter: that's always a sure-fire sign right there. then you know. >> all right. thanks a lot. appreciate it. and here's a look at how things are looking in virginia. this is a live look at 95 at lorton road in fairfax county. crews there have been fanned out since midnight preparing for any type of snow we might get. overnight crews pretreated bridges, ramps, and overpasses, which can become icy before regular roads. some people until louden county are preparing for the third snow event just this week. many people off from work for the holiday found themselves spending their time in hardware and grocery stores stocking up on essentials like salt, ice scrapers, shovels, as well as enough food for a couple of days. well, in the district, crews are keeping an eye on the streets as well as the bridges. here's a live look at m street and the key bridge.

yesterday, d-dot announced they would have 200 plows and salt trucks ready to go by 4:00 this morning. you can tell it's a slick ride so far this morning. a difficult reminder about the dangers of using kerosene heaters during the cold winter months. a woman in northeast maryland was refilling a kerosene heater in her home when it sparked a fire, giving her second-degree burns and sending flames throughout her home. it took 40 firefighters almost an hour to put it out. the home is considered a total loss. another person and a dog escaped without serious injury. new this morning, many same-sex couples in the state of maine can now say they are married. the state began allowing same-sex marriages at 12:01 this morning. many places throughout the state stayed open to accommodate couples who didn't want to wait any longer. voters in the state as well as washington state and maryland approved gay marriage in

november. maryland's law goes into effect on tuesday. today, the nation's gun show in virginia continues at the expo center. this year's event is also at the center of controversy following the connecticut school shooting. news 4's darcy spencer talked to gun owners about why they're packing the expo center this year. >> reporter: it's the second oldest gun show in the commonwealth of virginia, and talk of enacting tighter gun control laws is drawing in buyers. >> a lot of people buying the assault-type rifles because they're afraid they're going to be banned. >> reporter: this dealer says he sold every rifle but this one within an hour and 40 minutes on the opening day of the three-day show. why are so many people buying? >> one thing, fear. >> this is the logic of the leaders of the nra, to add more guns around our schools. >> reporter: there was an anti-gun protest outside the show. still, hundreds of people lined up to get in, even before the doors opened. this is the line just to buy

ammunition. some folks tell me the prices for ammo have gone up in recent weeks, so they're stocking up. vendors say the crowds are driven by calls for a ban on assault weapons and ammunition following the shooting of children and adults in newtown. this man bought a rifle at the show. >> there's a lot that can be done to control who purchases firearms as opposed to limiting what firearms are available. >> reporter: dale and his daughter alexander came to the show from richmond. >> they're not evil things. they have to be in the hands of an evil person to be used for evil purposes. >> reporter: darcy spencer, news 4. >> the nation's gun show runs through tomorrow, and there will be another event in february. protesters say they plan to be there until the end, weather permitting. billions of dollars in emergency aid could soon be on the way to victims of hurricane sandy. the senate yesterday approved an emergency spending package worth more than $60 billion. the bill passed 61-33 in the senate, but may not fare as well

in the house where gop leaders favor a small package, at least for now. the storm was the most costly natural disaster since hurricane katrina in 2005 and one of the worst storms ever in the northeast. time right now is 9:35. still ahead, how this winter storm is impacting travel for those heading o ut of town this holiday weekend. and one lawmaker wants to give a gift to all of you who got the gift cards this season. how [ male announcer ] there are plenty of reasons to be jolly

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and more style in the all-new malibu. chevy's giving more at the year-end event because 'tis the season. chevy's giving more. this holiday season, get a 2013 cruze ls for around $149 per month or get $500 holiday bonus cash. an effort is now under way to help a 4-year-old girl shot and wounded earlier this month on a metro bus. a facebook page has been created asking the public to make donations on behalf of the girl. it features photos of the toddler, including one of the injury she suffered in the

attack. a bullet grazed her face. the girl and her mother were shot as they boarded a bus. her mother was killed. police say the gunman was the girl's father, who later took his own life. police in new york are taking to the streets as they try to figure out who pushed a man in front of an oncoming subway train. an nypd van was casing the streets of queens just a day after police say a woman shoved an unsuspecting man off a subway platform just as the train approached. surveillance video then captured the woman taking off. witnesses say it was a horrifying sight to see. >> i would never forget, like, the sound of that. we talked about it all night, and we stayed up watching the detectives and everything. >> this comes just a few weeks after a similar incident in manhattan. the man suspected in that incident was later arrested. the time right now is 9:40. we're on top of this winter

weather system. a live look from national harbor. a very chilly spot to be at this morning. one of many. >> our storm really looking like a little dog with a big bark. we'll almost be able to ignore it. i'll tell you who gets the snowfall around here, who doesn't. have a good night. here you go. you, too.

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we're not just watching for road delays this morning. we're also keeping our eyes on the skies as the winter weather heads our way. here's a look at reagan national. air traffic is running on time for the most part at reagan national. however, there are a handsful of delays at bwi marshall. check with your airline before you head out. we're not the only ones getting snow this morning. this is a live picture at rockefeller center in new york. the city is getting ready for the huge new year's eve celebrations. we're not the only ones that will see the snow. the northeast is also dealing with it. they could get it much worse.

we're joined now from new jersey with more. >> reporter: good morning. yeah, the snow here has yet to fall, though you could certainly feel it and smell it, if you will, here in the air. you could also clearly see the preparations under way here on the ground. we're off the new jersey turnpike. you can see dozens of these big vehicles rigged with the plows. they also have tons of sand and salt in their flat beds. once that snow does start to fall, you'll see these trucks out here on the road using these dispenser to get that salt on to the ground. already we're seeing the department of transportation taking no chances here. they put some of that salt on the streets. they're also using technology here. new technology to keep these streets clear of snow. they're called the remote sensory systems. 37 of them placed on the streets so the drivers of these plows will be able to tell which areas have snow accumulation that still needs to be cleared. across the river in new york city, similar technology also being used. we're told that drivers there in

those plows will actually have the internet in their vehicles. they'll be able to see a google map type system what streets have been plowed and which streets need to be plowed. as far as the mta and public transportation, they meanwhile are putting commuters on stand by saying right now things are running smoothly. as that snow falls, there could be issues, particularly with freezing, they say. if freezing does occur, there could be some delays. right now, it is a game of wait and see. this area expecting a few inches of snow. right now, though, nothing in the air just yet. back to you in the studio. >> all right, jonathan. thank you. and right now, we're starting to get some of your snow pictures. we've been asking you to tweet them at news 4 today. lauren sent us this picture. this is out in hagerstown, maryland. you can see a nice coating out there. then mark in frederick county, a nice coating outside his door this morning. we've just gotten so many

different pictures. it's hard to -- i like this one. this one is really pretty. let's pull this up. >> while you pull that one up, there are those areas to our north and west from the christmas day snow that have the snow on the ground still. >> yeah, and there is snow falling in forestville right now. we love getting your reports. >> it's coming. we have mike in urbana talking about a few flakes. i've got a report of "snain," snow and rain. >> oh, i like that. >> you can get your photos to us at weather@nbcwashington.com. you have no excuse. come on. what are you doing right now, right? >> exactly. >> well, we're talking about a little bit of snow around here. let's get to the maps. outside we go where it is cold.

but temperatures in many locations are above freezing. we're keeping a watch of any airport delays as we take a look there out at cloudy skies. light snow falling. as you heard mike say with the network there, we're not the only one expecting snowfall. this will be a big system for areas north. up around new england, they're expecting a lot of wind with this storm from those two areas of low pressure and a lot more snow too. these winter weather advisories extend back into ohio, areas through even western north carolina. closer inspection around here, it's gaithersburg, howard county, northern areas of maryland. could be in some spots over 2 inches of snow. maybe upwards of 3 or 4 inches of snow around the maryland/pennsylvania border.

windchill at 33. that windchill reading will be dropping throughout the day too. as far as the air temp goes, that's helping to keep our road surfaces from being overly slick. 32 in frederick. right now borderline. that is where the snow has been for much of the morning. frederick and around areas of leesburg with snow coming through. that's the white. you can see it coming through northern areas around i-66. we've got some rain now right inside the beltway. alexandr alexandria, mount vernon, it is rain. maybe pockets of sleet. watch the timeline here over the next few hours. by noontime, more rain coming into the system. snow for howard county, frederick county. this system is going to be really pushing out of here very quickly. the next little wave of precipitation, i think it's going to stay out west and make its way up to the north and west. by 3:00 today, we clear out skies. temperatures drop. it's going to be a little icy in

some spots early tomorrow morning. could have that snow sticking around. could be a little slick tomorrow morning with freezing temperatures. cold and windy day for tomorrow. yes, sunshine. then we're back to cloud cover for monday with a new system moving in. i think much of that next system will stay to our north. may see a few sprinkles. here we go for today. rain throughout southeastern maryland. in the purple, snow to rain, not a lot. maybe just a few flakes and a light coating. a light coating to maybe an inch in the blue. maybe 1 to 2, perhaps over 2 around the maryland/pennsylvania border. snow, but not much, with rain to the south and east. later today, we clear out. all this will be ending around 3:00, 4:00 today. then it gets plenty colder in

the overnight period. evening, gusts to 25, maybe even up to 30, 45-mile-per-hour winds expected tomorrow. so where will you be tomorrow? maybe at the game. forecast, oh, you're thinking too cold for the cowboys. a late game. so into the low 30s, which is still a very low windchill reading, in the 20s. there it is, your weekend forecast. sunshine is back tomorrow after this grey, wintry type sky this morning. monday is looking dry right now. the early part of the day. but with a possible system developing on tuesday. again, your new year's eve should be dry but plenty cold. then it's the midpart and part of next week we'll be looking at highs of 36 to 40 degrees. end of the next week, doesn't look like we'll have any big storms coming our way. we're doing okay. just little nuisance type of storms. it would be nice to -- come on, it's winter. we want one decent storm around here.

>> and they were here just in time for the holidays. >> all right. thanks, veronica. the clock is ticking toward a deadline for a preforeclosure review. monday is the deadline to ask for a review. millions are eligible, but fewer than 400,000 people have requested one. the review stems from a settlement between federal bank regulators and mortgage companies. some say homeowners may have ignored the letter because they resemble ones sent by scammers. okay. so if you got a gift card as a gift this year, you probably know some of them have fees and deadlines. well, one lawmaker wants to change all that. a connecticut senator is proposing a gift card consumer protection act. this law would ban service and inactivity fees and prohibit expiration dates. of course, this is great for consumers, but not for the companies that actually issue the gift cards. an industry representative says the proposed changes could mean

the end for some gift card programs. we are counting down to 2013. you can kind this week's kid post inside the pages of "the washington post." here's a preview. >> making resolutions for the new year? calendar dates to give us cheer, plus a book to get your reading in gear. the kids post is here. take a look at that. all right. first up, good to see you. you're offering readers a little bit of history on making new year's resolutions. >> that's right. monday's kids post explores the history of new year's resolutions. they actually date back to the time of julius caesar and will give kids a couple of ideas. do your homework without complaining, don't fight with your brother or sister. you know, for starting the year off right in monday's kids post. >> we all need a little advice on that. why not? >> absolutely.

>> now to some fun dates ahead in 2013. some days i didn't know existed. >> well, you know, lots of kids get calendars as holiday presents. so in tuesday's kids post, some dates to put on your calendar you may not know about. january 23 is national measure your feet day. do you know? are they the same size? >> i think probably not. >> september 19th is talk like a pirate day. and melissa says something we will appreciate. it's pack your mom lunch day on november 15th. a bunch of fun dates to put on your calendar. >> my lunch would be filled with sk skittles and stuff. also, this post featuring the father and son author team. >> aiden is a 10-year-old author. he's written "the pepperoni palm tree." he's just adorable. his dad had written a book.

he said, so, dad, i want to write a book too. and "the pepperoni palm tree" is the product of that. we talk to aiden in wednesday's kids post. >> i love the title. it's adorable. >> the whole book is adorable. >> all right. thank you so much for joining us. as always, we appreciate you being here. happy new year. for some family activities, visit nbcwashington.com or washingtonpost.com and click on kids post. that is kids post on tv this week. those of you who are planning to party on new year's eve, listen up. we've got some tips to make sure your new year's day isn't spent on the couch. before heading out, make sure you eat a hearty meal and drink lots of water. another tip, eat asparagus. it's been shown to break down the alcohol in your system faster. if you wake up the next morning feeling a little sick, do not follow that old advice of drinking alcohol or whiskey or

whatever to help cure your hangover. >> it's acidic. two things that you don't want when you have a hangover. >> other things to help cure a hangover, bananas, coconut water, poached eggs, and fruit juice all help break down the toxins in alcohol and replenish your electrolytes. i hear pedialyte also works. we're just a few days away from ringing in the new year. it's the time that many start making their new year's resolutions. according to a new marist poll, more people are resolving to lose weight in 2013 more than anything else. 17% say they want to shed some pounds. it's followed by 13% who pledge to stop smoking and 10% who just want to be a better person. if you think that no one actually sticks to their new year's resolutions, 59% of adults said they kept their promises, at least for the first part of the year. >> does that really count when you only do it for a few months?

>> probably not. you have to stick with it. >> your resolution is to become a boxer or do cross fit or something fun. >> what are you going to do? >> i want to stay in touch with people better. not facebook, not social media. i'm going to write more letters. >> okay. >> i bought some stationery. >> you'll be the only one at the post office. three minutes away from the 10:00 hour. next on news 4 today, snowflakes in frederick. live pictures of the winter weather arriving for the weekend. plus, lawmakers are working overtime to avoid a drop off the fiscal cliff. the latest on the last-minute negotiations.

storm team 4 radar picking up winter weather in the area. the big storm rolling our way right now.

a live look at city cam a the 495 and van dorn street where in for a nasty mix of rain and snow. it's making for a messy drive. >> good morning, everyone. i'm richard jordan. >> a little bit of a mix right there. i'm angie goff. welcome to news 4 today. it is saturday, december 29th, 2012. >> we have our reporters positioned across the area to cover this winter weather. >> first, let's find out who's getting snow and what areas are getting rain. with that, we go to storm team 4 meteorologist veronica johnson. >> you may think this is a big storm, but it is not. it's a small storm. it's going to be in and out of here very quickly. finally, some snow showing up on the radar and falling too. the last couple hours, you can see that batch swinging through. you can see it's rain north of d.c. some of you have been tweeting

it's "snaining" where you are. snow into gaithersburg. meanwhile, here's what we're expecting today. winter weather advisory remains through the afternoon. the counties shaded in purple, north and west of d.c., that'll be north of fairfax county, north of prince william county, areas of howard county, montgomery county and leesburg in virginia will see maybe 1 to 2 inches of snowfall and higher amounts in the mountains of west virginia. this will, however, be a big system for new england. for us, we're not going to get a lot out of it. as a matter of fact, i think by lunchtime today, by noon, there will be a lot of rain trying to mix in with the storm system. the whole thing it out of here by around 3:00 or 4:00 today. once the system leaves, it's going to get very cold and very windy. gusty too. we'll talk about what's expected tonight and tomorrow coming up in a couple ins many. >> thanks, veronica. the winter storm is expected to affect mostly the north and

west parts of the d.c. metro area. for some folks, it will be their second snowfall in less than a week. derek ward continues our team coverage in frederick with how things look right now. hi, derek. >> reporter: hi, how are you? well, snowfall number one is pretty much on the ground. snowfall number two, you can probably make it out. it just started coming down maybe 10, 15 minutes ago at the rate that it is now. they are wet, puffy flakes on the paved areas around here. they're definitely not sticking. looking through those trees there, you're looking toward frederick. you can see i-270 moving through there. traffic is moving through. you have a wet pavement there. the traffic is helping to keep it from sticking or becoming slush. also, because of the temperatures, it is above freezing here in the area. what is falling is indeed melting. nonetheless, crews have been out pretty much all morning making sure those roads are treated and

monitoring them as this snowfall continues. as you heard from veronica, it's probably going to start turning into rain not too long from now. right now, it's somewhat picturesque, adding to the snowfall already on the ground here in frederick. that's where we're live. derk ward, news 4. >> all right, derek. thanks so much. and the storm had many hitting up their local hardware stores for supplies to prepare for this weekend. shovels, rock salts, and deicing fluid were flying off the shelves as people prepared themselves for today's expected snowfall. people were making sure they were stocked up for the winter, even if nothing hits the ground. >> not much, really. i mean, they're saying 1 to 2. they're saying possibly up to 4 inches. that's what i'm worried about, the 4 inches. >> possibly. >> yeah, possibly. so just to be prepared. >> some customers say that they were getting the rock salt not for their driveways but to weigh down their cars so they don't slide on the snow and the ice. >> the other big story in our

area, that looming fiscal cliff. in the past 24 hours, there's been newfound optimism that democrats and republicans could come to a deal before december 31st. president obama met with the house and senate leaders yesterday. lawmakers are hoping for a deal to help avoid tax increases for everyone as well as massive spending cuts in defense and other areas. if a deal can be reached, the senate would vote on it first. then it would head to the house. the latest the house would vote on a possible deal is january 2nd. the final full day before a new congress takes office. the house is set to reconvene tomorrow night. speaker john boehner told fellow representatives there will be session at 6:30 tomorrow night. he said he hopes to have a senate bill in his hand by then so they can vote on it. and be sure to tune in tomorrow morning for "meet the press." moderator david gregory has an exclusive interview with president obama. they'll discuss the impending cliff as well as other key issues facing the country. you can see "meet the press" here on nbc 4. that's tomorrow at 10:30.

and the time right now is 10:05. coming up, some ski slopes benefitting from this morning's winter weather. plus, the new developments we could see today that could help bring that long nhl lockout to an end. and if you are about to hit the road, watch that speed. a live picture here of route 355 in cedar lane where it looks like a rain/snow mix is coming down on the pavement. another check on your forecast and your roads is next. [ male announcer ] this commercial is not about getting fios,

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hope you're off to a great saturday morning so far. the time right now, 10:09. we're taking a look outside union station. not much going on here, but we have reports of snow and sleet from everywhere from frederick county to falls church, virginia. veronica johnson will be here with the latest on the storm. >> this storm is expected to leave a bigger mark in other areas, mostly parts west and north of here.

mike seidel from the weather channel is in new cumberland, pennsylvania, where they could see as much as 4 inches of snow. hi, mike. >> reporter: good morning, richard. yes, another snowfall here. they've had two so far this week. back on monday, then wednesday. they totalled 4 inches between the two. they've done a little shoveling and plowing. right now we've had about an inch of snow on the pennsylvania turnpike. we're here at the intersection of the turnpike and i-83. you can take that south into york and into baltimore. then you'll run through the rain/snow line. you get down into maryland, and it's been mostly rain, at least as you get close into baltimore and certainly around the district. visibility is down to about a mile to two miles this morning. it comes and goes as far as intensity. we're looking for several inches here. they've already had 4 to 5 inches to our west. state college has had good snow. now the meat of that heavier snowfall is heading out. new york city will get some snow for a change. all the storms we've seen this season have primarily kept the snow out of the cities, but not

this time. philadelphia, their first measurable. if you're flying today, the new york city hubs have been hit hard by cancellations ahead of the storm. they've canceled about 175 outbound and inbound flights at kennedy, newark, and laguardia. so far, though, no delays because the snow is just beginning to get into the suburbs. once the visibilities come down and they start deicing, we'll see delays. it's a quick hitter here. this will all be out of here by m midafternoon. it wraps up in new york city this evening. the big numbers will come in from boston, providence, and cape cod as the storm intensifies. out there, somebody could get 10 inches of snow, most of that falling tonight. as veronica has mentioned, the next five to seven days will feature cold weather but likely no big snowstorms in the future. certainly not there in d.c. where it continues to rain inside the beltway. back to you. >> all right. mike seidel in new cumberland, pennsylvania. we appreciate it. looks like we lucked out. >> we mentioned that it's a quick hitter. in so little time, it can

cripple so much when we talk about transportation. there's going to be lives disrupted all over the place. >> you heard him say, though, if you're playing out or if you have relatives that have been visiting, heading north, make sure you check with your carrier. take a look. this is the scene in frederick, maryland, where the flakes are coming down. they're big, wet flakes. the old wet kind where if we were to get a lot, it would be hard to clean out. for a few short hours, we get the snowfall.

today, people in the area can get their first dose of skiing. liberty mountain report in southern pennsylvania opens its doors to skiers and snowboarders for the first time this season. this is a live look at the resort's web cam as they prepare for the ski season to get under way. round top resort is also opening this morning. white tail and wisp are already open. >> better than last year.

my gosh. >> all morning long we've been asking people to send us their pictures and let us see what they're seeing outside. we're hearing from nate morris, who is sending us this nice picture. it's a before and after. this is just in manassas. it appears that's a swimming pool. won't be using that any time soon, i don't think. but i really like this one from haley galloway. she says nothing like waking up to snow falling on the farm, we are blessed. this is a picture in round hill, virginia. that's a really, really pretty shot there. >> that's like a postcard. >> i know. >> and we have rain changing to snow in prince george's county. we have been telling folks all morning how to get your photos to us. really easy. weather@n weather@nbcwashington.com. outside of our area, snow too. look at that. pittsburgh, pennsylvania. the snow has been falling there. this is going to be a far-reaching system. this one is from mike.

that's pretty too. the big spruce trees. isn't that a spruce there? the weight of the snow. again, this is a weighty type of snow. it's not the dry kind that's real easy to sweep up after. we're not expecting much. for areas up around boston and rhode island today, this will be a major storm system, turning out to be a nor'easter for them with wind and snow. so the winter weather advisories up into new england for today. around here locally, still these advisories will stay up until during the afternoon hours. 5:00, 6:00. louden county, leesburg, a chance for snow for you. just over an inch. maybe just over an inch in montgomery county. snow up into baltimore. it's these areas way up to the north around hagerstown and martinsburg that could see 3, maybe 4 inches of snowfall as this system winds up and eventually leaves out of here around 4:00 today. look at that. the visibilities are dropping too. we're at 36 degrees.

a little bit of a wind. your windchill, 32. windchill readings will really drop off tonight down into the 20s. it's going to be quite cold by the time we get to tomorrow morning. we're at 32 degrees in winchester. hagerstown, right at freezing. we could drop to freezing in martinsburg, as the snow hangs on for a few hours. same thing in fredericksburg. eventually, the temperatures will start warming up. the rain will start to take over. we're at 36 in fredericksburg. here's the system. one little area of low pressure move through. that produced some rain just off to our south and east this morning. that other little area of low pressure to our north and west, it's swinging through. most of the snow, though, you're seeing right now and right here. that other little area of snow coming through west virginia, i think a lot of that is going to lift to the north of us. fairfax has the snow. d.c. now snowing again inside

the beltway. we have snow right outside of our studios now. so getting going finally around this area. only lasting for about two, maybe three, four hours or so before it all starts shutting down. watch what happens on the future weather here as we get into the noon hour. there's your rain starting to make its way from south to north. that's the temperatures trying to warm up. then gone, bye-bye, by 3:00, 4:00 today. the one area where the snow will hang on a lot longer is here, out in western maryland in the high spots of west virginia. they could seize more than 5, even 6 inches of snowfall. we clear out here. there you can see the snow hanging on as we get into the overnight hours. temperatures drop tonight down to the 20s and low 30s inside the beltway. it could be a little slippery up here sundays morning. then by day tomorrow, it's sunshine. very windy, gusts to 35, 40 miles per hour. just a raw day. crazy day coming up tomorrow.

then increasing clouds for new year's eve. as far as precipitation goes, i think that we should stay dry by the stroke of midnight as we bring in the new year, 2013. for today, as we talk numbers, again, not a lot. snow to rain in the purple. a light coating in the blue. howard county, montgomery county, over into frederick county in virginia. your forecast, temperatures rising not much today. 36 to 41 degrees. we clear out by around 4:00, or at least the precipitation will end. we clear out late want tonight. when we do, winds get gusty around here. plenty gusty tomorrow too. 42 for monday. 40 expected on new year's day. should have, i don't know, maybe some fireworks or something better than that little party favor there. cold for midpart of next week. >> you're going to have a low-key new year. okay. so right now it's 10:20. coming up on news 4 today, the

steamy novel turning into a textbook for college students in our area. and check this out. flakes falling right now on the storm team 4 weather deck on nebraska avenue here in northwest washington.

the book "50 shades of grey" has become a cultural phenomenon, selling millions of copies around the world. now college students will be able to talk about the book and get credit for it. next semester, american university will offer a course about the popular trilogy. sex educator and professor steph woods will use the book to discuss issues of domestic violence and sexuality as well as how social media is used in promoting successful novels. and if you're interested in this class, sorry, too late, it's already full and has a waiting

list. >> did you see how many people were reading the book? the nhl lookout could soon be over. the league and players union are expected to talk via conference call today. the league reportedly made changes to its offer to the players. there's so much optimism, there's talk the regular season could start on january 19th. the league already canceled more than half the season but would change the schedule to allow for at least 48 games. this one, all for the marbles now. redskins are just a day away from their win or take all against the hated cowboys. it's simple. whoever wins the game clinches the nfc east title. the redskins can still make the playoffs even if they lose, but they need lots of help. kickoff is at 8:20 tomorrow night. you can catch the game right here on nbc 4. it is sunday night football. >> and it is going to be bone chilling cold. oh, my goodness. >> and windy. >> prepare yourself. okay.

so all morning long, we've been asking you to send us your pictures via e-mail or our twitter feed. we want to show you a couple. brandon, first, thanks for watching. second, this is a pretty nice picture of what they're seeing that way. we also have heard from tammy this morning. let's go to tammy. hold on. >> it's coming up. >> well, you know, the beautiful thing about technology. here we go. her son. she can't keep him out of it. this is in haigerstown. we love seeing how you're taking in the snow. >> hagerstown, that's where kids can have fun today. that's who's going to get the nice snow. of course, the ski resorts too too. look at the radar. it came and it's moving out already. you're looking at the back edge of our main snowfall that we're going to get today, that back edge hagerstown and winchester. what's in west virginia, not going to get much from it. leesburg, you're getting big flakes. same thing around gaithersburg.

not going to last for much longer. i've been saying that after noon today, it's really rain that starts take over, and this whole system is gone shortly after that. a light coating, maybe some areas get an inch out of this. kind of an unevent for us. 36 degrees. we've cooled down since the snow has moved in. we may rise to a high of 39. then 39, cold, and windy with sunshine tomorrow. new year's eve is looking dry. >> all right. been great to have you here. >> keeping us in the know on all the snow. >> thanks for joining us. >> we're going to be back here tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. until then, we hope you have a great saturday.